Night didn't come fast enough for me. I waited by the beach all day, letting my wounds heal and to let my body truly rest. The cards had opted for staying at the beach and they enjoyed their day out. Joey had been true to his word and wasn't dueling right now.

He was waiting for me. That thought made me smile. I shifted a bit, careful not to upset Baby, who was still curled up next to me. Earlier, he had been telling me about the shift he had done into Thousand Dragon. He had been so happy at being powerful and helping Joey to win his first serious duel.

I hoped that I would be able to live up to these cards. Each one was special to the young mortal and now I was being told the same thing.

It was still hard to believe that this was real.

I stretched my wings wide and basked in the sun. I still ached, but hopefully I would be able to fight. But what I had feared the most happened; my wings collapsed.

Baby shifted quickly up near my head and the cards stopped and came over. I tried again to lift my wings, but I couldn't. I opened my mouth and cried out in frustration.

This couldn't be happening! Joey wouldn't want me now. I'd be tossed aside again.

Flame Swordsman came over and he must have seen what was going through my mind. A hand was placed on my neck and he bent down to me.

"You're in his deck, he won't abandon you."

I wasn't so sure, but I knew I wouldn't have to wait very long to find out, one way or another.

It was night in the mortal realm and Joey was here. The cards let him through and he saw my limp wings. I felt his hand move across scales and skin and didn't have the courage to turn and see his face. Soon he reached my neck and then my head. He came around till he looked me in the eye.

"You know, if Rex was still on the island, I would probably be going to jail for murder."

I looked at him, shocked. He had stated it so calmly, so sincere and yet the anger was there, in his eyes. But the anger wasn't at me, no, for me there was only concern. I still couldn't speak, couldn't form the words so I tried to tell him with my eyes that I was sorry I wasn't much help.

He hugged me close and then turned to Flame.

"Why did this happen?"

"Since he wasn't used often in a duel, he didn't have a chance to exercise or fight and this caused him harm. The battle is what revives us and keeps us healthy. If we are not used and taken care of, we fade away and die. It's like rapid aging."

"But it can be reversed, right?"

"Yes, it wouldn't take long, once you get past the first step and in this case," he felt a hand on his wing. "That would mean getting him to fly again."

Joey turned back to me and his eyes were determined.

"Before I leave tonight, you will fly."

Looking into those brown eyes, I believed. But believing and doing are two very different things. Joy moved back from me a bit and motioned the cards to do the same.

"First thing first. You are going to have to walk. Up you get."

Easier said than done. I was always placed on the field and I haven't walked or flown in years. I uncurled my tail and tried to fold back my wings, but I couldn't move them. This didn't escape the blonde's notice and he motioned to the two Battleguards to help out. I felt my wings being rearranged into position and then I was on my own again.

I moved my front claws forward and shifted all my weight on them. One of the claws cracked from disuse and too much pressure, but it would grow back. With all my weight on the front, I moved my back legs out and to the side and braced them. Now the hard part came.

I looked at Joey and deep brown eyes looked back. A deep breath calmed me and then I moved. My whole body came up and rested on my legs. For a minute I was standing tall and then the dizziness kicked in and I was falling, my legs tried to hold me and my wings fanned out, forgetting the fact that they were of no use. Their added weight pulled me back-

But something held me upright. I looked down at Joey, who stared back at me and smiled. Baby dragon was no longer in his arms.

"What? You honestly thought I would leave you with no help? We stick together!"

I looked to the side and could make out a long orange tail and I tired Time wizard. Behind me, thousand Dragon held me up till I managed to get my balance and then moved to stand beside me. The cards were smart and knew to get to higher ground when you had two large dragons walking around. The only one who was in danger of getting stomped was Joey and he didn't seem to mind.

"Now, you have to walk to me. Thousand dragon will be by your side if you need help, otherwise, it's up to you."

He moved back, right to the water's edge and waited, hands in his pockets. I knew at that moment, I wouldn't be forced to move, despite what he had said earlier. This was my choice. I could choose to get better, or I could choose to stay the way I am and I knew that either way, he wouldn't get rid of me.

I took one shaky step forward then had to rest. He continued to watch me carefully and I felt the strength to take another. I was breathing hard and more than a little embarrassed.

"Red-Eyes, I want to tell you something, no don't stop moving, keep taking steps, but listen." He took a deep breath and looked away for a minute and then back. "I know how you feel right now. You feel like this should be easy for you, that everyone else can do it, so what can't you. That's how I felt about life."

My eyes found his and red locked on brown as he continued to talk.

"I felt discarded when my mother left my dad with my little sister. I had been left behind with him and that hurt. Afterwards, I could never do anything right. I made a great friend, but kept trying to push him away, or act tough. I didn't want him to see how weak I was. I was afraid he would leave, if he knew what I was like."

He stopped when I stopped moving forward. I needed to hear more, so I took another step.

"I met Yugi then; always into games and so innocent. I tormented him back then, bullied and abused him. But it was him who ended up helping me in the end. Now we are great friends, as close as brothers. There are four of us in the group: me, Yugi, Tristan and Tea. But I became useless again.

See, Yugi was amazing at Dueling and me? Well I didn't win a single match. But I trained and I learned and then I found a reason to duel. My younger sister. She's going blind and if I don't win the prize money, than I can't save her."

He smiled at me and there were tears in his eyes.

"Do you know that I got you in my second Duel here? The one where I wasn't allowed to have anyone help me. Do you realize how important that makes you? All the cards here are special and close to me, but what stands out with you is that I actually earned the right to have you.

You don't belong to anyone. You don't have to listen to someone else. Yet you listen to what I say and that trust means more to me than your Dueling strength. I hope to repay that trust."

It was then that I felt his hand on my leg and realized that I had walked over to him. I looked down on the young man and had to try and convince myself that this was real. He wasn't going to toss me away. He actually thought I was special and important.

With the soft touch of his hand and the realization of what I meant to him, something happened that I never thought I would experience. A bond between card and Dueler opened up and through it, I felt his love, his strength and loyalty. I also heard his voice.

/Fly. Use my strength and remember what its like./

I felt the energy return to my body and my wings lifted. I cried out in triumph and lifted my body into the sky, even as Joey collapsed, tired, to the sand. The cards watched over him and Flame turned to me and nodded.

They would watch him while I tested out my new wings, but as I left to fly across the sea, something caused me to shiver and look back.

Darkness was coming across the land and that meant the Fiends were moving.

The problem was, Joey wasn't safe in the deck and neither were the cards.



Me: I have a piece of fanart for this story that I have done. If anyone is interested in seeing it, let me know.